Cable winding drum



Oct 7, 1958- c. A. SCHACHT, JR

CABLE WINDING DRUM Filed Dec. 22, 1954 [N var/70 ATTO NEY.

United States Paten CABLE WINDING DRUM Clifford A. Schacht, Jr.,Hartford City, Ind., .assignor'to Overhead Door Corporation, HartfordCity, Ind., acorporation of Indiana Application December, 1954, SerialNo. 477,086

4 Claims. '(Cl. 242-1'17) This invention relates to a cable windingdrum.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a counterbalancing assembly for upwardly acting doorswhich is readily adapted for use in doors of varying heights and whichpermits the use of cables of suitable length for the particular heightof door.

Second, to provide a cable winding drum which is particularly desirablefor use in a counterbalancing assembly of the type indicated.

Third, to provide a counterbalancing assembly for upwardly acting doorswhich is readily adjusted to meet conditions of a particularinstallation including substantial variations in the winding length orwinding strength of a driven torsion spring.

Further objects relating todetails and economies of the invention willappear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in theclaims.

A structure which embodies the features of the invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of an upwardly acting doorcounterbalance assembly embodying the invention, only such parts beingillustrated as are deemed necessary to illustrate apractical commercialembodiment "of'the invention.

Fig.2 is afragmentary elevational view of parts-shown in Fig. 1.in adifferent position of adjustment.

.Pig. 3 :is an enlarged fragmentary :outer end .or *face view ofthewindingdrum .illustrating'the winding cable in one position ofattachment thereof.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the drum viewed downwardly from thetop of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on a line corresponding toline 55 of Fig. 3 showing a cable attached to the drum in anotherposition or relation thereto from that shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 6 is an outer end elevation view of the drum.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 77 of Fig. 2 illustratingan adjustable supporting means for the drum.

In the accompanying drawing 1 represents a portion of a door frame, 2 afragment of an upwardly acting door, and 3 the lifting cable thereof.The track 4 with which the door is operatively associated is providedwith a vertical portion 5 and a horizontal portion 6. An upwardly actingdoor having track of this general character is known in the art andtherefore is not further detailed, but the door and track structuregenerally considered may be that illustrated in the Johnson Patent No.1,983,856, issued December ll, 1934.

The counterbalancing means illustrated comprises the shaft 7 providedwith a torsion spring 8. The end of the shaft illustrated is supportedby the support 9 adjustably mounted on the bracket 10 secured to theframe member 1 and to which the track 4 is also secured. The support 9is provided with a foot portion 11 having slots 12 therein receiving thebolts 13 so that the support may be adjusted laterally or sidewise.

2,855,162 Patented Oct. 7, 1958 Thecable winding drum designatedgenerally by the numeral 14is mounted'onthe shaft 7 for adjustmentaxially thereof, a"k'ey or spline being indicated at 15. The support9'is provided with an'arm 16 to which the spring 8is connected bythemember 17, the other end of the spring being connected to the shaft. Theconnection is not illustrated "as'means known to the art may be used.

The drum 14 comprises acylindrical inner portion 18 and an inwardlytapered or conical portion 19, the cylindrical and'coni'cal portionshaving 'a continuous spiral guide groove 20 for the cable 3.

In the present structure the drum '14, has a generally conical recess 21in its outer face. Theperiphery of the conicalfportion of the'dr'umis'provided with a plurality of 'axiallyspaced holes"2'2which open intothe cable guiding "grooveand which are adapted to receive the end of thecable to be secured by anchoringrneans 23 in Figs. 3 and 4 and '24inFi'g. 5. .As shown in these figures when the cable is disposed in oneoftheholes the anchoring means is cl'amped preferably upon the endoflthe cable after it is'inserte'd 'inthe hole. Or alternately, the fulllength of cable may be "threaded through the .hole.

The drum h'as 'asl'otli'ke opening 25 in its outer end. This opening 25'is of such width as to permit .the cable being passed edgewisetherethrough. The slot 25 opens into'a cable receiving recess 26'whichin turn opens to the periphery of the drum and has a curved bottom '27merging into thefgroove'Zll, as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Ineifeet'this constitutes the outerend of the groove 20.

The slotlike openin'g'25 is'inclined oppositely from the bottomof1the're'cess2'6with the ire'sultthat the front wall of the recessforms aguardffor retaining the cable in .the

"recess and from which the "cable'can be disengaged only by aligningthe'c'able edgewise with the slot like opening 25 andreversingthe'actionof inserting the cable. With th'isform'of cablereceivingopening and recess it is pracwitnwtii'h the'ealileancho'rasabuts'on both sides of the slot like opening 25. This provides a verystrong and secure anchorage for the cable.

The face of the drum has recesses 30 into which the cable openings 22open. These recesses are adapted to receive the anchors 24 with theanchors seating on both sides of the opening 22. This minimizes thelikelihood of fracturing the drum under load.

With this arrangement of parts cables of suitable length and size forthe load they are to carry may be used and proper alignment with thedoor is obtained by the axial adjustment of the drum, see Fig. 2, ascompared to Fig. 1. In both Figs. 1 and 2 the cable is illustrated asbeing fully unwound from the drum, which would be the condition when thedoor is in fully closed position.

Another advantage is that this feature of selective point attachment ofthe cable to the drum not only results in the saving of cable, or theuse of only enough cable required for the particular height of the door,but permits connection to the drum at points having radii of differentlength relative to the axis of the drum, thus compensating forsubstantial differences in the torsion of the driving spring of thedrum. For example, if the spring assembled with the door does not havethe proper torsion, the door is not effectively or properlycounterbalanced. When this situation occurs it has been common practiceto send to the factory or warehouse or supplier for a new spring, whichprocedure delays the erection of the door. With the provision forattachment of the cable to the drum at several points, angularly spacedrelative to the spiral groove, it is possible to vary the moment of thespring by raising or lowering the point of attachment of the cable tothe drum. The raising of the point of attachment of the cable to thedrum gives the spring'relatively less leverage while the lowering of thepoint of attachment gives the spring relatively more leverage on thedoor, so by this manipulation variations in the torsion or liftingmoment of the particular spring may be compensated for and properbalancing of the door secured.

It is desirable that the conical portion of the drum have a relativelysteep pitch so that the substantial variation in the radius leverageresults from attaching the cable to the drum at angularly spaced pointsrelative to the groove thereof.

I have illustrated and described a. highly practical emhodiment of theinvention. I have not attempted to illustrate the various embodiments oradaptations of which it is capable as it is believed this disclosurewill enable those familiar with the art to embody or adapt the inventionas may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and isdesired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A cable winding drum having a cylindrical inner end portion and aninwardly tapered outer end portion provided with a continuous spiralcable guide, the outer end face of the drum being recessed and exposedand having a radially thickened peripheral portion along a sectorthereof, the drum having a slot in its said thickened portion, open atboth ends and of a width permitting a cable to be passed sidewisetherethrough, the drum having a cable receiving recess directed towardthe axis of the drum and disposed at one side of the slot and openingradially between the periphery of the drum and the inner recessedsurface thereof, the recess having a curved bottom extending to theinner end of the slot and merging into the cable guide, the slot beinginclined oppositely from the bottom of the recess, the inner face of thesaid thickened peripheral portion viewed radially of the drum being flatand perpendicular to a radius of the drum passed through said recessproviding supporting surfaces for a cable anchor at both sides of theinner end of the slot.

2. A cable winding drum having a cylindrical inner end portion and aninwardly tapered outer end portion provided with a continuous spiralcable guide, the outer end face of the drum being recessed and exposed,the drum having a slot in its outer end open at both ends between itsperiphery and said recessed face and of a width permitting a cable to bepassed sidewise therethrough, the drum having a cable receiving recessdirected toward the axis of the drum and disposed at one side of theslot and opening radially between the recessed outer face and theperiphery of the drum, the recess having an inclined bottom merging intothe cable guide, the slot being inclined oppositely from the bottom ofthe recess, the inner surface of the wall of the drum as viewed radiallyproviding supporting surfaces for a cable anchor at both sides of theinner end of the slot.

3. A cable winding drum having a spiral cable guide, the outer end faceof the drum being recessed and exposed, and having a radially thickenedperipheral portion along a sector thereof, the drum having a slot in itssaid thickened portion open at both ends of a width permitting a cableto be passed sidewise therethrough, the drum having a cable receivingrecess directed toward the axis of the drum and disposed at one side ofthe slot and opening radially between the recessed outer face and theperiphery of the drum, the recess having a bottom merging into the cableguide, the slot being inclined oppositely from the bottom of the recess.

4. A cable winding drum having a spiral cable guide, the outer end faceof the drum being recessed and exposed, the end of the drum having aslot open at both ends between its periphery and said recessed face andof a width permitting a cable to be passed sidewise therethrough, thedrum having a cable receiving recess directed toward the axis of thedrum and disposed at one side of the slot and opening radially betweenthe recessed outer face and the periphery of the drum, the recess havinga bottom merging into the cable guide, the slot being inclinedoppositely from the bottom of the recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS687,229 Hadley Nov. 26, 1901 1,437,987 Miller Dec. 5, 1922 1,533,556Howard Apr. 14, 1925 1,555,544 Anthony Sept. 29, 1925 1,913,508 PhillipsJune 13, 1933 2,141,670 Robertson Dec. 27, 1938 2,257,484 Rowe Sept. 30,1941 2,314,015 Parsons Mar. 16, 1943 2,329,943 Robins Sept. 21, 19432,453,424 Foster Nov. 9, 1948

